My family stocks up on toothpaste to the extent that it's occasionally a relatively long time before we need to buy more. As a result of this practice, some of our supply gets pretty old....alright, very old (as far as toothpaste should be concerned).

Anyway, I got out the last tube in my personal stash and checked the expiration date and discovered that it expired in May. Of 2003. So I'm wondering if this stuff still works as a tooth paste or if the flavoring agents can spoil? Anyone?

The abrasiveness is never going to go away, so it should work as toothpaste forever. I can imagine that the "pasteness" of it could have problems over a very long time (like 10 years), and might separate out in some way that would be gross. But that would be obvious as soon as you put it on your toothbrush. And even if the flavoring went off, it almost certainly wouldn't be toxic, so it wouldn't hurt to just try it.

Why isnít there an expiration date on the Aquafresh-ALLģ with Tartar Control tube?
All OTC products must be tested to show that their ingredients are still effective after a certain period of time. AF Tartar Control has a particular formula that exceeds the 3 year standard, so an expiration date is not required.

An ingredient commonly used in toothpaste extends the shelf-life of ground beef while helping protect it from harmful contaminants, according to results of University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture research.

Yes, they do. The three approved forms of dental fluoride are sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride, and sodium monofluorophosphate. NaMFP is the most common in toothpastes these days, but SnF2 is still used in some toothpastes, and in many preparations used in the dentist's office. Sodium fluoride, I think, is mostly used in mouthwashes and rinses. FWIW, NaMFP is the biggest pain in the ass to do QC on (or it was when I was doing it -- we had to boil it in acid and titrate with thorium nitrate).